In going back on an historical journey through cinema (see the "Cinema Classics..." thread) it got me to wondering how broad everyone's film collections are here?

Of myself, I find it pretty hard to stretch back beyond the sixties much, which is probably a lot to do with the changes in social mores as well as freeing up of censorship towards the end of that decade and the invention of widescreen film (I've always found Academy ratio films a bit "flat", haha). Not to say I haven't seen a lot of films prior to the sixties, because I have -- I just don't really harbour the inclination to collect much prior to that era on home video. But that's just me...

So, my question is this: what's the oldest film you own on (legitimate) DVD or BD, and what's the newest? Per me, until I buy Casablanca, it's like this:

Oldest title: Diau Charn* (1956) (beats The King & I by one month)
Newest title: Saw VI (2009) (clocking in with an October '09 release)

I figure it should be interesting to see what the folk in the know here have in their collections, as well as how far cinematic pursuits stretch and where they lean. If this has been done before, point me in the direction of the original thread...or feel free to ignore my prying musings :p

* "Diau Charn" is a period musical from the Shaw Brothers studios, in case anyone is wondering what it is.

Regarding the social mores and censorship of yore, I've finally started to dig into the pre-code Hollywood films, encouraged by the vitality of the earlier entries in the first Busby Berkeley box set.
I've only just started out with Forbidden Hollywood vol 1 and the tragically relegated-to-DVDR Wonder Bar (1934) on the side (turned out to be a wonderful mess of shameless infidelity/hustling/murder/homosexuality/encouraged suicide/sadistic whipping/blackface craziness and great dance numbers).
No duds so far. Perhaps it could be a way to expand the range without getting bored?

Todd J

08-02-2010, 01:04 PM

Oldest is King Kong

Newest is Black Dynamite

Ian Jane

08-02-2010, 01:15 PM

Oldest is probably Nosferatu or Metropolis, newest... I dunno. I get stuff weekly so it changes a lot.

how is Haxan? I have been wanting to see it for many years but have never gotten around to it. didn't Dwain Esper use footage from this in Maniac to portray madness or something of that nature??

Marshall Crist

08-02-2010, 02:34 PM

Diau Charn

How is this movie? I got quite a few of these huangmei opera movies as Celestial was releasing them, but ran out of juice shortly before they finally got around to this. I thought THE KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY was spectacular, though.

If not for my wife, the oldest movie I would own would probably be some Little Rascals shorts from the 20s. As it stands, she has also purchased a bunch of Gish, Griffith, Valentino and German silent horror films, so I have no idea how far back those go.

Adam L

08-02-2010, 02:56 PM

Oldest film: Forgotten Silver (1907)

Newest Film: Exterminators of the Year 3000 (3000)

Gary Banks

08-02-2010, 03:01 PM

Can't count dvd-r eh?

Dracula (1931)
The Wolfman (2010)

Marshall Crist

08-02-2010, 03:06 PM

Used to have a Melies (sp?) compilation that had some stuff from as far back as 1898, I think. But I sold it.

GaryM

08-02-2010, 03:34 PM

Oldest: NOSFERATU (1922)
Newest: HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (2010)

I can't believe I still haven't seen SHUTTER ISLAND.

Jeff Gr

08-02-2010, 03:43 PM

I have as many classics as I do more contemporary films, so the distribution of my "collection" is pretty even decade by decade...

Most of my DVD collection is from the 1970's and includes A to Z mainstream, cult, horror, adult--both straight and gay. After revolution(the 1960's) usually comes involution--that is why films from the 70's are my favorite.

Wayne Schmidt

08-02-2010, 04:21 PM

Oldest - FRANKENSTEIN 1910
Newest - Probably THE ORPHANAGE, but maybe there's a newer one, just can't think what it would be.

Todd J

08-02-2010, 04:23 PM

Oldest is probably Nosferatu or Metropolis, newest... I dunno. I get stuff weekly so it changes a lot.

how about the most recently made film you purchased?

Ian Miller

08-02-2010, 04:32 PM

NOSFERATU (1922)
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD (2008)

Chuk H

08-02-2010, 05:14 PM

Oldest: I have Kino's "The Movies Begin" set that includes some of the Luminére Brothers early films that date back to 1895, I think. Also has some of the early Edison kinoscopes and a whole disc dedicated to Méliés. Great set if you're interested in the origins of film.

Newest: Drag Me To Hell 2009

Paul A J Lewis

08-02-2010, 05:15 PM

Earliest: If you discount The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon (1900+) or Early Cinema: Primitives and Pioneers (stretching back to 1896) and include only features, then it would have to be either The Battle of the Somme (1916) or (if you stipulate fiction) Charlie Chaplin: The Mutual Films (1916).

Most recent: Valhalla Rising (2010), Armored (2010), A Prophet (2009, but released over here this year) or The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009. but released over here this year).

How is this movie? I got quite a few of these huangmei opera movies as Celestial was releasing them, but ran out of juice shortly before they finally got around to this. I thought THE KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY was spectacular, though.

Marshall: if you liked The Kingdom and the Beauty then you'll like Diau Charn. Like Kingdom it's fairly lavish, for its era and origin; it's also Academy ratio, being that the Shaws didn't shoot their first film in a widescreen format until the advent of the sixties. Probably worth seeing for historical significance alone, as it was the Shaws' first big hit out of their Hong Kong studios and is also the oldest surviving title in the library.

There's a fascinating short-form featurette on the disc that details the whole remastering process, with particular attention to Diau Charn itself. They advise that, when Celestial took up the rights to the library and commissioned the Shaw Brothers Studios Restoration Centre to remaster and restore the titles that could be saved, it was the film that proved their biggest challenge. Apparently 70% of the negative was mould-stained and it took them a team of six technicians to work it "back to life". I've included a few screengrabs from the featurette below... :)

I own tons of silent films, Can't really think of the years, but i beleive my oldest one would be BIRTH OF A NATION 1915.
Most of my collection is pre-1979, But I do collect new films.
Newest would be SHITTER ISLAND, with Leonardo DeCrapio.

Marshall Crist

08-02-2010, 10:19 PM

Thanks for the DIAU CHARN info, Mike. I figured restoration on that was particularly hard based on how soon they started talking about it vs. how late it finally got released. I guess my last question, if you or anyone happens to know, would be whether it gets anywhere near as poignant (pronounce the "g" for extra emphasis) as THE KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY does at the end. That really does it for me. Same with, uh, that really long one with Ivy Ling Po.

John K

08-02-2010, 10:26 PM

Oldest: VAMPYR, I think (just got this last weekend, in fact!). I have a couple Japanese silents, but they're DVD-Rs of unavailable stuff, so I guess that doesn't count per the rules.

Newest: I have no idea. Maybe GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO? I very rarely buy anything made in recent years.

David Huber

08-02-2010, 10:41 PM

Oldest: THE MUMMY from the Mummy Universal set and a bootleg I have of KONGO are both from 1932.

Newest: The most recent 2009 dvds I have are INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, BLACK DYNAMITE and THE HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO. Pretty cliche, eh? I don't know which one's actually newest.